Supporting structure



vJune 9,- 1931. w. GREIM sUProTING STRUCTURE Fned'oct. 15, 192e",

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Patented June 9, 1 931 UNITED STATES 'PATENT WALTIIER GREIM, or BERLIN, GERMANY, AssIGNoR To sIInIENs-.R'AUUNION GESELL- scrIArT MIT BESOIIRANKTRR IIARTUNG KOMMANDITGRSELLSGIIATT;,'or-g-BERLIN- sIEMnNssTAnT, GERMANY, A CORPORATION or GERMANY l j 4 sUr'PoRTING STRUCTURE Application led October 15, 1928, Seri-a1 No.

My invention relates to impro'vements in supporting structures, and more particularly to assemblage or junction points of such structures,'in which a plurality of convergf ing bars are joined together to form a joint resisting tension and compression strains and permitting said bars `to adjust themselves relatively to each other. According to one of my patents of prior date this joint is effected through the agency of joint discs which engage the ends of the bars (in the case of iron rods the eyes and the case of wooden bars the ends of straps mounted on the bars) and as a rule are in pairs drawn tovards the bars and each other by a transverse My present invention consists of an improvement in. such assemblage or junction points by employing mushroom-shaped washers or washers with bosses for the transverse connecting bolt, which washers trans# mit the pressure of the lbolt with a wedge action on to the said joint discs.

In the drawings axed hereto and form- 2n; ing part of my specification one embodiment of my invention is illustrated by way of example. l

In the drawings: Fig. 1 represents a side-elevation of my '30 improved assemblage or junction point for wooden supporting structures,- and Fig. 2, a cross-section through this assemj blage or junction point.

x Referring to the drawings it will be'observed that in the junction point illustrated three bars, for instance timbers, 4, 5, 6 converge toward a common point on a horizontal bar or timber 3. The bars are on each side provided with a strap 7 attached by pronged discs and bolts 32 passing through their hubs or bosses and Valso by bolts 33 without pronged discs. The straps 7 are provided made without departing from the spirit and with converging ends extending beyond the bars and are here provided with a dove-tailed hook element 8, by means of which they engage `the correspondingly dove-tailed joint discs 10, the circumferential 'flange 11 of A which is adapted' to hold them in position. At the assemblage'or junction point there are also providedg'pronged discs 31 at both sides 312,570, and in Germny oetobgriia 1927.:

ofthe horizontal bottolnfbar'fagainst Whlidl'` discs the aforementioned s trapsjrest'.L lThe joint is drawn together by aft erse bolt` l2 and nut 13. i

According to my invention th j this bolt 12 is transmitted vto the -j iointdiscs 10 by washers 15.- These washers l''ia'reLmursh.-v room-shaped and their bosses' orlhubs,15a.fenv j veloping the transverse bolt 12 are' 'so` long that they extend through-the joint discs 10v 60 and past the ,flanges 8 of the strapsv 7 closeup i to the pronged plates 31. Atthe periphery'Y each washer 15 is provided withan linwardly "f beveled face 15b, which abuts against al-,corresponding beveled edge of a recess inthe ,e5 v joint disc 10. 4;/ In consequence of this construction .of the mushroom-shaped washer and the joint discs l i all the parts of the assemblage or junction l point are forced together with av wedge 7o action, when the nut 13 on the -bolt 12 is tghtened. In this way it is possible to. assemble v 5 the joint quickly and easily, to center the `'.Con- ["1 stituent parts well and to adjust the friction in the joint and thus its stiffness a simple 7B and convenient manner.

The mushroom-shaped washer has a fun ther object, which is of great importance' asA regards the strength of the joint. In con.-

sequence of the eccentric engagement of the so I rods or the straps of the bars at the joint discs bending stresses are set up in said discs, which might lead to their warping, unless they should be made excessively strong by a great j expenditure of material. The circumferen 85 tial edge 15b of the mushroom-shaped washer counteracts these stresses and powerfully braces the joint discs against these bending stresses, so that a warping of the discs'is effectively avoided, even if they are made 9o comparatively thin. A Various modications and changes may be two suitably shaped lateral ends extending respectively to the two discs, each' disc being undercut inwardly for slidingly engaging all bar ends of its pertaining side, and a trans- 5 verse bolt in said element for joining said discs, whereby said bars are joined in a comf mon plane, and whereby a joint is formed which resists tension and compression stresses and which permits said bars to adjust themlo selves relatively to'each other, each of said discs having a bevelled recess at its outer face, and a mushroom-shaped washer dis osed at each end of said bolt and having a evelled rim to t into the bevelled recess of the disc at the pertaining bolt end, so that when said washers are drawn by said bolt tightly against the structural element said discs are supported against eccentric stresses set up by said ars. In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

WALTHER GREIM. 

